Tell City High School gets $3,900 for new FFA greenhouse

Tell City Jr.-Sr. High School secured $3,900 to finish and furnish a new FFA greenhouse, giving students a dedicated space with tables, planters, heaters and vents for hands-on agriculture work. School officials said FFA students were eager to begin the project this winter, turning the grant into a concrete step toward a working instructional facility on campus.

Southern Indiana Power provided the money through its Operation Round Up program, which rounds up members’ electric bills and sends the difference to community projects instead of utility costs. The company says participating members contribute an average of about $6 a year, and the fund is administered by an independent board of trustees. In its Fall 2025 recipient list, Southern Indiana Power named Tell City Jr.-Sr. High School as one of the local awardees.

The grant is being used for more than the shell of a greenhouse. Southern Indiana Power said the money will complete installation and furnishing of the new space, covering the equipment that will make it usable for FFA instruction. That includes the tables, planters, heaters and vents needed to keep plants growing and students working year-round.

Tell City Jr.-Sr. High School said the greenhouse money will go directly toward construction and outfitting of the school’s new greenhouse. The school described the project as an exciting next step for FFA students and said the new space will create opportunities for students to grow, learn and bring new possibilities to the program.

That matters in Tell City, where the FFA program is still young but already building momentum. The school said students are demonstrating leadership, responsibility and a strong work ethic, while gaining real-world agriculture skills and exploring careers in the field. The program also credited Maegan Hagedorn with starting the effort at Tell City Jr.-Sr. High School.

For Perry County, the greenhouse adds another practical education asset to a community that has long depended on local institutions, local work and local partnerships. Perry County was organized in 1814, and this grant shows how a relatively small community investment can turn into a lasting learning space for Tell City students.